October 20, 2025 is the deadline to register to vote in the 2025 municipal election.
Our Plan
Promote a Better Understanding of the Laws & Governing our Borough
How do we fight misinformation, the invisible negative force? Like it or not, we must learn to deal with the effects of misinformation and misunderstandings both on Council and in the community. It means as Council members, we have to educate ourselves at the beginning of each new project rather than trying to absorb everything all at once.
While there is plenty of information available, there are only a few sites that group a subset of the available links to documents related topics.
- Engage a volunteer to help compile and manage a Wrightsville Borough Library on the Internet linked to the Borough website
- Navigate the lists of links to create an online set of links organized in categories available from government and association sources.
- Write a brief summary of each document using an AI tool
- Add the links and summary into a library format on the Borough website. There it can be accessed by Council and community members.
- Identify the best community “influencers” to assist us with announcing the Library and its value, and how to use it to community members
- For Council members, work with experienced Council persons to document memberships in organizations related to Borough management, etc. that are available.
- Create and provide documentation of laws specific to current issues as they arise
- Share the library with our peers as an example.
We propose a Community Bulletin via the Borough Website. The purpose will be for the Council to quickly communicate factual information in response to misinformation when it appears in social media or any other media. It provides a place for users to find out what the facts and judge for themselves.
Demonstrate Fiscal Responsibility
Leadership of the current Council successfully demonstrated fiscal responsibility by holding the line on taxes, maintaining an appropriate reserve, and balancing the budget. We will adopt the same proven fiscal policies.
Our HHW Plan begins with the development of our financial management plan and we agree. If there are no experienced volunteers in the community, we may need to acquire a grant to engage a consultant to guide us through the process initially.
We propose an emphasis on informing the community with first-hand accurate information concerning Council’s decisions in order to combat misinformation. Those decisions must be associated with the laws and constraints that affect those decisions via the Community Bulletin. Our Library’s summary documentation can be used to simplify the legal requirements for community. It is imperative that information like this be repeated to the community on all forms of social media supported by the Borough.
To be open to the community concerning funding decisions made by Borough Council, and to avoid unnecessary spending, we propose Council members and committees requesting funding over $500 to explain in writing:
- Why the funding is needed
- What research has been done to find the right solution
- What laws or codes affect the solution or the procurement process
- Full cost of the solution including ongoing costs after the initial investment
- Current software and administrative procedures that will either be impacted or abandoned along with concurrence with the affected staff
- Dollar value to Wrightsville for the proposed solution
- If required by PA law based on total value of the contract, we expect:
- A Request for Proposal advertised as required by law
- At least 3 bids that were received must be reviewed and considered fairly
- Any concerns from the community when the RFP responses are made available when advertised to the community
- Reasons for recommending the acceptance of one bid or solution vs. the others
Create Sound Solutions for Resident & Business Issues
Pennsylvania does not allow referendums on ballots unless approved for specific reasons. Postage for sending mail such as surveys to the entire community has become prohibitively expensive. Community input on solving problems provides valuable information from a larger perspective that may drive “out of the box” thinking for the smaller group of Council members. Our approach would be to consider implementing other ways of integrating ideas from the community and local businesses.
- Gather information via focus groups and quarterly town hall meetings regarding known or developing issues.
- Form volunteer citizen advisory committees to provide direction on solutions.
- Use our professional consultants and our solicitor for input for complex decisions
- Keep residents and businesses informed of progress via the newsletter, Town Hall meetings and the Community Bulletin
Strengthen Wrightsville’s Future As a Thriving Outdoor Recreation & Historical Destination
Wrightsville is a leader as a Trail Town business center today. As a destination for outdoor recreation and as a historical venue, we have the attention of investors and agencies providing grants to further one of Pennsylvania’s fastest growing industries. While a few of our leaders are very familiar with the scene, we recommend that we expand and formalize our connections to:
- Partners in York County and PA agencies York County Planning Commission and York County Economic Alliance (YCPC and YCEA).
- York County Trail Towns program and the Susquehanna National Heritage Area project for plans and opportunities
- Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) for grant opportunities.
Negotiate Cost-Effective Solutions for Road Improvements, Emergency Management & Community Services
In 2025, issues concerning the future of vital Borough services have escalated. The Borough Council has defined the requirements to be met and is working through the process of determining the appropriate solution. In order to facilitate working with the community on developing solutions, we propose making information available for the community to encourage their involvement as the process moves forward:
- Include information in the meeting minutes on how the work was prioritized according to urgency and available funds
- Make sure that residents are informed early if there is any impact to them financially or otherwise
- Explain how the funding for the work will be obtained
- Share (simplified) documentation from our Civil Engineering consultants for structural improvements
- Follow the PA procurement process
- Keep the community informed as the project progresses
Implementing the HHW Comprehensive Plan
The HHW Comprehensive Plan has been under development for nearly two years (which is not unusual considering the work it requires). It is based on a significant amount of community input and with guidance from a Steering Committee that was comprised of experienced council members and citizens at large.
The Plan will guide development and growth of our communities. It includes focus on small businesses, revitalization of our Main Streets, and modernization of our technical infrastructure especially from a resident-facing perspective. The Plan recommends we focus on growth beyond a “462 gateway to York County” to a “Destination for outdoor recreation and as a historic venue” in York County.
- Look to state and county documentation and assistance from YCPC on how to make the region cohesive and keep the residents engaged.
- Use the Plan as a go-to source for strategies and solutions.
- Work with our regional partners for common solutions
- Publish articles on topics in The Plan for the Borough Library to encourage citizens to learn more about it
- Present status and offer Q & A sessions at town hall meetings